Attachment for washtubs.



B. F. DOWD.

ATTACHMENT FOR WASHTUBS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27,1914

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN VENTOR. iii I00 wt! BY WITNESSES:

W m T A i S; M @7% THE NORRIS PEYLKS 50., PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. c.

B. F. DOWD.

ATTAGHMENT FOR WASHTUBS.

APPLICATION FILED APR 27. 1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I N VEN TOR. flmozni BYQ WITNESSES "III I I A TTORNE Y BENJAMIN-F. DOWD, OF WASCQ, CALIFORNIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR 'W'ASHTUBS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24 191 1.

I Application filed April 27, 1914. Serial No. 834,557.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. Down, a citizen of the United States, residing at Was'co, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Nashtubs; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in washing devices used for washing clothes or similar material, the object of the invention being to produce a simple attachment adapted to be secured adjacent any receptacle such as a washing tub and which can be used for agitating the clothes and forcing the hot suds back and forth through the clothes in order to cleanse them, the principle involved being that commonly known as the vacuum method.

A. further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects, I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete attachment installed ready for use. Fig; 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the attachment. Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on a line XX of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a supporting member and a brace guide thereon. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a supporting post and securing nut thereon. Fig. 7 is an outside view of the same structure. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a ratchet wheel. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a clamping cam. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of an operating ratchet wheel and operating dog. Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the operating dog in a different position from that shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on a line YY of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a supporting member of any suitable structure such as a bench or the like and the numeral 2 designates any suitable structure such as a wash tub or the slotted portion 8 slidable over the guide 6 and is susceptible of being clamped in any desired position thereon by means of a spring wire 9 secured at each end to the member 7 and extending around the member 8 and provided with an eccentric cam 10" having an operating handle 12 by means of which the cam 10 may be operated to cinch the wire 9 closely against themember 8 to bind it in any fixed vertical position on the member 6 for the purpose of adjusting the different heights of the washing mechanism to suit the different depths of the receptacles.

The numeral 18 designatesthe pounder and vacuum cup which in my improved in vention is'substantially of elongated conical shape, and hollow in itsrinterior for a purpose as will presently appear. This member 18 is secured to its operating rod 14 by means of bifurcated branches 15 projecting from the member 11 and each secured to the member 13 for the purpose of lending strength and durability to the structure. The said rod 11 is provided with a collar 16 against which rests the lower end of a sleeve 17, such sleeve 17 being mounted on the rod 11 in such a manner as to allow of a free rotary movement of said rod 11 within said sleeve 17. The upper end of the rod 1 1 is split, as at 18, to receive a cord 19 projecting across a ratchet wheel 20 whereby such ratchet wheel will be secured on the rod 11 against rotary motion thereon. nut 21 is then screw mounted on the end of the rod 11 and locks the ratchet wheel 20 in position on said rod 14 and resting on the top of the sleeve 17, such nut in turn being locked in position by a cotter pin 22 projecting through suitable notches 23 in the nut 20 and through a hole in the end of the rod 141.

The sleeve 17 is provided with a pair of projecting pins or lugs 23 and on these lugs 23 is pivotally mounted the operating handle of the device, which handle com.- prises a round portion 24; having two projecting plates 25, one projecting on each side of the sleeve 17 and each being pivotally mounted on one of the pins 23. On the outer ends of the plates 25 is secured a folded member 26 forming an intermediate slot 26 The end of the folded member 26 is provided with a bifurcated end 27, one branch thereof projecting on each side of the member 7 and being pivotally connected therewith, as at 28. Projecting outwardly from the plate 7 is a bracing guide 29 which normally projects into the slot 26 and provides a guide for the movement of the member 26 and at the same time offers a brace to prevent any lateral bending of the said member 26.

The numeral 30 designates springs connected to the member 26 and to ears 31 on arms 32 projecting outwardly from the upper end of the member 8.

The numeral 3-3 designates a link pivotally connected between ears 3 1 on the upper end of the sleeve 17 and at its other end projecting between the members 32 and being pivotallyconnected, as at This link, combined with the operation of the operating lever 24, determines the vertical movement of the rod 14 and sleeve 17.

On one of the members 25 is an upwardly projecting arm 36, on the upper end of which is a dog 37 pivoted off center, as at 38, to the said member 36. With the downward movement of the handle member this dog 37 rides back over the inclined sides of the ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheel 20, but with the upward movement of the handie :24, this dog engages one of the rectangular sides of such ratchet teeth and moves said ratchet wheel 20 to move the rod 11- to turn the pounder vacuum cup 13 to a different position. The different positions of this dog are shown clearly in Figs. 10 and 11.

The operation of the device is as follows: The operator secures the base 3 at any point adjacent the receptacle 2 with the pounder vacuum cup 13 projecting into the receptacle. The clothes to be washed and the wa ter and chemicals are placed in'such receptacle. The handle 26 is then operated to 'AO'VB on its pivotal point 28 carrying the sleeve 17 and incidentally the rod 14k and the pounder vacuum cup 13 up and down with it, the fixed movement being determined by the link 33. The downward movement is imparted by the manual exertion against the handle 2-1 which causes the member 13 to pound against the clothes. The upward movement is impelled by the springs 30 which pull the vacuum pounder 13 away from the clothes and the suction thereof causes the hot water and chemicals to be sucked through the clothes for the purpose of cleansing the same.

As has been described, with each downward and upward operation, the rod 14 is turned to change the position of the member 13 so that every part of the receptacle is subject to the movement of such mem- 'ber 13.

As a cover for the receptacle 2, I provide a member 39 having spring clips 10 which fit over the top of the receptacle 2 in the man ner shown, there being a slot 4-1 to pass over the rod 14, such slot being normally covered during the operation by a hinged cover 4:2 leaving a central hole 43 to allow for the movement of the member 14.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

WVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice, such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to se cure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a supporting standard, a frame adj ustably mounted on said supporting standard and having a projecting bracing guide, a lever having a folded portion pivotally mounted on said frame, said bracing guide projecting into the space between the folds of said folded portion and extending parallel therewith and adapted to prevent the same from bending sidewise, a vertical member pivotal ly mounted on said lever and provided with a pounder on its lower end, a link pivotally connected with said vertical member and with said frame, and springs connected with said lever and said frame, as described.

2. A device of the character described comprising a supporting standard, a frame secured to said standard and provided with a projecting bracing guide, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and provided with a slot, said bracing guide projecting into said slot and extending parallel with said lever and adapted to prevent the same from bending sidewise, a vertical member carrying a pounder, such vertical member being pivotally connected with said lever, and a link pivotally connected with said lever and said frame, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. DOVVD. Witnesses STEPHEN N. BLnwnrr, FLOYD M. BLANCHARD.

Copies of this patent'may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

